Governor Maura Healey signed into law An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity, and protecting ratepayers. This legislation will accelerate clean energy development, improve energy affordability, create an equitable infrastructure siting process, allow for multistate clean energy procurements, promote non-gas heating, expand access to electric vehicles and create jobs and support workers throughout the energy transition.
The reforms to the siting and permitting processes were based on the recommendations of Governor Healey’s Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting and also include environmental justice informed requirements for cumulative impact analysis for clean energy projects and establishing a fund for under-resourced organizations to engage in the siting process and in proceedings before the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), fulfilling a campaign promise.
“Accelerating clean energy development will create good jobs, lower costs, attract more businesses to Massachusetts, and grow our climatetech economy,” said Governor Healey. “This legislation includes important provisions to lower energy costs for families and businesses, including expanding bill discounts to middle-class households and increasing access to clean energy measures that reduce customer expenses such as solar, heat pumps, and electric vehicles. These reforms will also end the years-long delays for solar, wind, and other critical electric infrastructure, which play a critical role in our ability to be a global leader in clean energy and climatetech. I’m grateful to Speaker Mariano, Senate President Spilka, Chair Roy, and Chair Barrett for their partnership on this important bill.”
“By working together, we can deliver balanced solutions and drive meaningful change during the clean energy transition,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Our administration is grateful to the members of the Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting, including Chairs Roy and Barrett, for their time and efforts. The reforms enacted in this law are the result of months of meetings between stakeholders, sitting around a table hashing out our differences. Today, we can celebrate the results of those efforts and get to work on implementing this important law.”
At the core of the bill are major reforms to the process by which wind, solar, storage, and other electric infrastructure like substations and transmission are sited and permitted. Based on the recommendations of the Governor’s Commission, the new law establishes a 12-month deadline for municipal permitting and requires municipalities to issue a single permit at the end of their process. Similarly, state permits will be issued together by the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) after a 15-month period. Appeals will be directed the state Supreme Judicial Court, ending the years-long appeals process that has delayed vital infrastructure. The law also directs the Department of Energy Resources to create site suitability criteria to ensure natural resources are protected in the siting process.
“For decades, the siting and permitting process has been a major hindrance to the clean energy transition. I’m incredibly proud that we were able to find consensus and enact these historic reforms at such a critical time. This new infrastructure is going to strengthen the reliability of our grid, improve public health, grow our economy, and help us transition off polluting fossil fuels,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “This law also makes major strides for environmental justice. Our environmental justice communities have hosted significantly more energy infrastructure. Now, we will have a strong framework to ensure that every voice is heard in the siting process and that these new facilities are sited equitably.”
“Today, we have something to celebrate—a next generation climate law that sends a strong market signal that our future is healthy, clean, and low carbon,” said Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer. “I’m eager to get to work with DCAMM Commissioner Baacke in partnership with other administration officials and stakeholders to chart the Commonwealth’s course to reduce embodied carbon in our procurement supply chains. By purchasing materials like steel, cement, wood, glass, and asphalt manufactured in new ways that emit far fewer greenhouse gases, we’ll achieve our net-zero goals and build critical infrastructure that is of the highest quality with a lower impact on our climate.”
The law also makes improvements to equitable siting and the community engagement process, which has historically been challenging to navigate. Municipalities will be granted automatic intervenor status in EFSB proceedings. A fund to support municipalities, organizations, and individuals who lack the resources will benefit from a new fund to support their needs for qualified legal representation and expert analysis. The EFSB will also require a cumulative impact analysis for projects seeking to site in environmental justice communities, so that no neighborhood becomes overburdened with infrastructure that the entire state benefits from. The Office of Environmental Justice and Equity and the Division of Public Participation at the Department of Public Utilities – both established under Governor Healey – will be enshrined in law.
An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity, and protecting ratepayers includes other important reforms to facilitate the transition to clean energy. Offshore wind tax credits are expanded, and the state will be authorized conduct a procurement process for storage and to join other states’ procurements of clean energy. The law also authorizes the administration to study and propose other reforms to the procurement process. As clean energy production ramps up, it will be important that the costs burdens associated with maintaining the gas system will be minimized and workers are supported. The law authorizes the gas utilities to sell geothermal heat and includes provisions that support energy workers. The DPU is given clear authority to adjust to how gas maintenance is financed and establish discount rates for moderate-income customers. Finally, the law also updates the appliance standards that apply to electric vehicle chargers and creates pathways for more to be installed.
“This critical legislation builds on the work that is being done to modernize the Commonwealth’s energy grid, increase clean energy generation, and to combat the climate crisis while creating jobs in the process,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “The reforms related to siting and permitting of clean energy infrastructure will be crucial in the process of transitioning the Commonwealth’s energy grid away from fossil fuels over time. I want to thank Governor Healey for signing this bill into law, as well as my colleagues in the House and our partners in the Senate for their hard work."
“Today, Massachusetts has proven once again that we will take decisive action to address the climate crisis,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “With the Governor's signature, we move closer to our goal of net zero emissions by 2050 through codifying siting and permitting reform, expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure and incentives, addressing the high cost and long lifespan of gas infrastructure projects, and protecting rate payers from bearing the costs of this transformational shift. I am proud that the Legislature prioritized such bold initiatives to address the existential threat of climate change, and I am particularly grateful to Senator Barrett for his thoughtful advocacy throughout this process. I would like to thank the Governor for her signature, Majority Leader Creem and my Senate colleagues for their efforts, and Speaker Mariano, Representative Roy and our partners in the House for getting this important bill across the finish line.”
“For too long, it’s been extremely challenging for disadvantaged communities to participate in the energy decisions that impact their electricity bills and neighborhoods. I applaud the Legislature for passing and Governor for signing this impactful climate and energy legislation that includes a new intervenor support program, which will help the Commonwealth achieve a more just and equitable clean energy future,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. The intervenor support program, recommended by the Stakeholder Working Group convened by my office, will give communities the resources they need to meaningfully engage in and shape our clean energy future."
“This bill has several important facets for sustainability and meeting our state's ambitious and legally enforceable goals to reduce carbon emissions,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “It provides a framework to accelerate the production and storage of renewable energy and includes powerful language to expedite the restoration of our wetlands, which are incredibly effective at sequestering carbon and providing coastal storm defense.”
“This legislation advances critical updates for the siting and permitting of clean energy infrastructure, ensuring a supportive and reliable electric grid, and building out electric vehicle charging infrastructure, among so many other things,” said Representative Jeffrey N. Roy (D-Franklin), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. “By overhauling outdated state permitting and siting processes, the Commonwealth aims to secure an equitable, accelerated buildout of clean energy generation and infrastructure that we need to reach our climate goals and power our electrified clean energy future. These reforms are coupled with measured steps to promote solar energy system development, ensure that our gas companies comply with climate targets, procure more clean energy and storage solutions, and use grid-enhancing technologies and advanced meters to increase efficiency, while ensuring that this transition balances consumer safety and system reliability with protections for union workers.”
“This bill sets a balance,” said Senator Mike Barrett (D- Lexington). "We need to upgrade the grid without swamping the household budget. People want to keep the lights on but at a price they can afford. And some day, if they haven’t done so already, they’ll want to drive electric vehicles. In dozens of ways in this bill, and notably by restraining gas expansion as we pursue electric expansion, we make sure the future is green and clean and we also protect middle class and working class pocketbooks.”
“This comprehensive law is a reminder of the power Massachusetts has to advance groundbreaking climate solutions—no matter who is in power in DC,” said Senate Majority Leader Cindy Creem, chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. “The law includes a wide range of policies that move us closer to net-zero emissions, including essential reforms to our gas system. By preventing gas investments that are both imprudent and contrary to our climate mandates, the bill will keep costs down and prevent wasteful spending of ratepayers’ hard-earned money.”
"This legislation shows we're committed to creating a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for our Commonwealth," said Representative Richard M. Haggerty (D-Woburn). "By streamlining permits, ensuring stakeholder input, and investing in new technologies, we're not just taking steps to meet our climate targets—we're continuing to position our state as a clean energy leader. This bill will help grow our economy, create good-paying jobs, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. I'm grateful for Chair Roy's hard work, Speaker Mariano's leadership, and all my colleagues' strong support.”
“I’m so pleased that the legislature was able to come together to approve this most important bill. This legislation is instrumental in providing the necessary tools to move the Commonwealth forward in greening our communities and embracing our clean energy future.” said Senator Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton). “It is a win-win-win for everyone. This legislation will help to create thousands of new jobs, lower the cost of energy and significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions which will improve overall public health.”
